


The Name's Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the Normalest of Normal Friends

by Boogum



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Humor, Just bros being bros, Romance, adrienette - Freeform, or so marinette wishes, spontaneous road trip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29021223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boogum/pseuds/Boogum
Summary: Marinette had sworn an oath that she wouldn’t let her huge, impossible-to-kill crush get in the way of her friendship with Adrien. But now she was on a road trip with him. Just the two of them. Alone. It was either gonna be a death sentence for her poor heart or it would be the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 51
Kudos: 339





	The Name's Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the Normalest of Normal Friends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bugaboo_n_bananoir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugaboo_n_bananoir/gifts).



> Happy belated birthday maddy! thank you for always making me laugh and all of your genius creations (and im not just saying this cause I love rednana ghskjhgsjk). I'm sorry this is stupid late, but i hope you enjoy it!
> 
> also, a special thank you to emsy for your help with this!

"Nice timing," Adrien said, a little out of breath.

Marinette gripped the steering wheel, her stomach fluttering and her knuckles flaring white. This was fine. This was totally fine. Adrien Agreste had just dived inside her car through the window and was now grinning at her from the backseat in a way that threatened to turn every bone in her body to mush, but this was fine.

Movement caught her attention in the rear-view mirror. Adrien's bodyguard charged towards them like a stomping tower with limbs. Her eyes bulged in panic. This guy looked like he'd be able to rip her door off if he wanted. Heck, he could probably lift the whole car with them in it. Then her childhood Lego games would come to fruition, except she'd be the screaming person trapped in the car, not Mr Crankenpot with the slightly melted hat.

"Adrien," she said, twisting around to face him, "what's going—"

His ringtone went off, but he didn't answer. Instead, he gripped the back of her chair, a much more mischievous grin fixed to his lips and a sparkle in his eyes. "Keep driving," he said.

_"What?"_

"Go, go, go!"

She did. It was an instinctive reaction. Her foot hit the acceleration pedal and they were off, zipping down the street like robbers in a getaway car. There was soon no sight of the bodyguard, but it wasn't until she reached a wall of traffic that she slowed, her heart pounding and pounding.

"I can't believe I just did that," she said. Her fingers felt like they were glued to the steering wheel.

Adrien laughed and suddenly his lips were on her cheek and all she could smell was his cologne—a light, warm scent that was like a breath of citrus and chocolate. "You were amazing."

Heat burned in a sizzling wave over her face. It was with great effort that she managed to hold herself together and not become a Marinette-shaped puddle on her chair. "Do you think your bodyguard will set the police onto us?" she asked. "What if he thinks I kidnapped you?"

Another laugh. "I doubt he'll think that. He saw me jump in here. More than likely he'll think I planned this with you and he'll come after us in his car."

"That's not something to laugh about!"

Oh no, oh no. The Tower with Limbs was gonna come after them. Her fate was sealed now, and then Gabriel Agreste would hear about it and ban her from seeing Adrien because he'd think her a bad influence. And then she'd have to communicate with Adrien via pigeon, and what if the pigeons pooped all over her letters? He'd start to think of her as pigeon poop girl, and then Mr Crankenpot would cackle from whatever dark recess of a child's toybox he had been locked in, because now his revenge would be complete since she was the terrible owner who had got his hat melted and thought it funny to make him drive off imaginary cliffs and get tossed around by Marguerite the T-Rex, and—

Adrien touched her shoulder. "Don't worry. I have complete faith in your driving. We can escape him."

"But—"

"Hey, the line's moving."

She once more found herself driving. Maybe it was the masochist in her. Maybe it was because she remembered she had a phone and probably would not have to rely on pigeons should she get friend-banned. Or maybe it was because that sparkle was still in his eyes and she didn't want to snuff it out. He believed in her. He also wanted to avoid his bodyguard for some reason, and she was not going to let him down. Marinette would never let it be said that she was not a ride or die girl.

They followed the line until she was able to duck down a side street and find a less congested path.

"Where am I supposed to be taking you?" she asked.

"Anywhere." He stretched out against the backseat, closing his eyes and throwing his arms out like a tired aeroplane. "Just far from my father and bodyguard."

She shot another glance at him through the mirror. "Rough day?"

"The worst."

He shot up and gripped her chair. "Let's get out of Paris!"

Her eyes widened. "Uh—"

"If you're free, of course. I just realised I didn't even ask if you were. Sorry."

"No, I am," she said slowly, "but out of Paris? Right now?"

He flashed a toothy grin and the sparkle returned to his eyes. "Why not? Bit of spontaneity could be fun, right?"

Her heart thumped and fluttered. A road trip with Adrien? Just the two of them? Alone? It was either a death sentence for her poor heart or it was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

"C'mon," he said, grin widening, "what do you say?"

"But we haven't packed anything or—"

"There'll be shops along the way."

"But your job—"

"Can wait."

She bit her lip, locking gazes with him through the mirror. "You sure?"

"Why not?"

Her heart thumped faster, a little bird humming against her ribs. "Okay."

"Yeah?" he said, straightening like an excitable kitten.

"Sure." Her lips twitched into a smile. "Road trip here we come."

Adrien punched his fist to the air and let out a whoop. "Road trip! Road trip!"

Marinette laughed and drove back onto the main road. They had no destination, no plan. It was the kind of thing she would have fretted about had anyone invited her to join them, never mind the fact that she was Ladybug, the miraculous guardian, and had to take care of Paris. But she had spent so many years saying no. So many years wiggling her way out of trips and missing chances to make fun memories. She didn't want to waste another chance, especially with Adrien.

Gone were the years of yearning over and panic-avoiding him. She had her big girl boots on now. She could be normal. Probably. Hopefully. The point was that she wasn't going to let her huge, stupid, impossible-to-kill crush get in the way of this road trip. She would be the most normal of normal friends, and Mr Crankenpot would not be allowed his revenge.

oOo

Jagged Stone blared from the car stereo. Adrien now sat in the front seat and sang to the music. He was loud. He headbanged to the guitar solos. He was everything she had not expected and everything that was perfect for letting loose.

She grinned and joined in with him at the chorus, bellowing the lyrics with just as little care for being on key. Terrible harmonies filled the car, which were somehow beautiful for their chaotic, free expression. The air drums were pulled out. Marinette did a little dance wiggle in her seat as she drove. Then a wailing, falsetto finish had them both bursting into laughter.

"I am so glad no one's filming this," Marinette said.

"What are you talking about? We sound amazing."

She snorted. "Pretty sure no one would agree with you."

"They clearly don't understand talent when they hear it."

Their gazes met and a smile curved her lips. In the background, Clara Nightingale's latest single played in a poppy, upbeat melody.

"Wanna take it away with a solo?" Adrien asked.

"With those high notes? No thanks. I'll leave this one to you."

He took up the challenge, making her laugh all over again. It was fun. It was the kind of car trip she could have had with her family or Alya. There was no need to feel any inhibitions. She even sang solo when he forgot the lyrics. But the stupid, impossible-to-kill crush could never quite be eradicated.

"Where'd the lollies go?" she asked.

"Ah, here."

His hand appeared before her vision, his fingers holding the strawberry-flavoured confection and poised to place it in her mouth. She blinked. She choked on her own spit. She coughed like an old woman trying to hack up a lung and had to pull over to the side of the road so they wouldn't crash. (Then the Tower with Limbs really would have something to complain about to his boss.)

"You okay?" Adrien asked.

"Sorry," she wheezed, even as she fought the heat that got stuck to her cheeks like a sticker of shame.

"Do you need me to take over driving?"

"Nope. Am totally fine here. Finer than fine, because normal friends do not care if their friend feeds them lollies."

A few creases formed on his brow.

"Let's keep driving!" she practically yelped.

"Sure, if you think you're okay."

"I am a-okay. Never been better." She threw finger guns and grabbed the bag of lollies, stuffing a handful into her mouth. It was difficult to chew and impossible to talk. Perfect.

He cast concerned glances at her, but she kept her gaze pointedly on the road. She had to be normal. This was what a normal friend would do. No sighing over his lovely green eyes. No imagining him feeding her all the gummy strawberry lollies, and especially not the way his thumb would brush her lower lip and—

Nope, nope, nope. She was not going down that path.

"We should probably pick a destination," she said, once she could talk again.

He peered at the map on his phone. "The Baie de Somme is in this direction. Ever been?"

She shook her head.

"I've heard good things about it. Wanna go there?"

"Sure."

And that somehow was that. Phew. Lolly crisis averted.

oOo

Marinette stretched her arms high above her head. They had stopped at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and she walked alongside Adrien as they strolled down the marina and investigated the little cobblestone streets. Flowers added splashes of life in pretty bunches of colour. The old fishermen's houses were even more vibrant—a far cry from Paris with its unobtrusive, uniform tones.

"Joan of Arc and William the Conqueror both came here, you know," Adrien said.

A snort escaped Marinette.

"What?" he said.

"Nothing."

He leaned closer. "Nuh-uh. Tell me."

"I just thought it typical that you would pull out a random history fact."

He scrunched his nose. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Wow. He really had no idea that everyone thought he was a giant nerd.

"Tell me," he said, bumping his shoulder against hers.

"You sound like a tour guide."

"Rude." He snatched her hat and put it on his head, then dashed ahead. "Bet a tour guide wouldn't do this!"

"Adrien!"

He laughed like a little child and cast her a glance over his shoulder as if daring her to chase him. Well, if he wanted to play that game. Just because he had those long, tall-person giraffe legs didn't mean she wouldn't give him a run for his money. Plus, she'd been lazy about washing her hair and needed that hat as a scrutiny shield.

She chased him down the street, earning curious stares from people, though he didn't try very hard to outrun her. The dork placed the beret on his head and struck a pose, making kissy lips at her.

"Give me that," she said, snatching it back and fitting it on her flattened hat hair.

He grinned.

"Don't you grin at me."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll drive off and leave you here."

He gasped, placing his hand over his heart. "Marinette, you would never."

She wouldn't, of course, but that didn't stop either of them from bantering about it or having a faux argument about who was really in the wrong. It was kind of odd. The silliness of it all, especially combined with his toothy grin, reminded her so much of Chat Noir.

Her nose wrinkled. Come to think of it, Adrien and Chat Noir had a lot of similarities once you got to know them more.

"Want to get something to eat?" he asked, wrapping his arm loosely around her shoulders as they walked side by side.

She glanced at his arm, then up at him, then back at his arm.

"Marinette?"

A fresh wave of heat bloomed on her cheeks. "Yip!"

Right, she had to be normal. Normal friends were affectionate and walked together like this, right? Just be cool. Just walk normally and act like this did not make her heart do its little _ba-thump, ba-thump_ song.

He leaned in closer and pointed out an interesting feature of the Medieval wall. Subtle ribbons of citrus and chocolate wrapped around her, leaving her with an urge to bury her face into his shirt and hunt down the scent on his skin.

Well, crap.

She stepped away from him and gave a too-wide smile. "Let's just get food."

oOo

They sat at a little table near the waterfront and ate moules-frites. She painstakingly ate each mussel and fry as if the leader of the Etiquette Police was looming over her shoulder with a clipboard and pen, ready to toss her into the water should she make the smallest mistake. Not that it mattered much. Adrien had seen her choke on food and snort drink out of her nose before. Heck, she'd even snort-sprayed drink on him. (And wailed to Alya like a true tragedian about it later.)

"This is nice," he said, leaning back in his chair.

She dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. "Would have been fun if Alya and Nino could have come."

"I dunno. I kind of like it being the two of us."

Her eyes widened.

"Because one on one can be nice sometimes," he added hastily.

Was his face going pink? It was hard to say, and she didn't want to overanalyse. Those days of dissecting all of Adrien's actions for any romantic connotations were far behind her. Mostly. Okay, it was more like she stuffed the urge deep down, but sometimes it slipped out like dirty washing overflowing from a laundry basket.

She finished the rest of her fries and plastered on a Normal Friend™ smile. "Did you still want to check out Fort-Mahon?"

He hummed in thought. "Let me check the tide. See if it's worth it."

Luckily, the tide was going to be low. Not so luckily, Adrien looked particularly handsome once they got there and he walked along the beach as if it was a photo shoot. He rolled his jeans up to expose his calves and dipped his feet into the water, a big smile on his face. Wind ruffled his hair with magic effect—no strands or bits of sand getting in his eye to turn him into Squinty-Eyes Mcgee. (Other beach goers were not so lucky.) Then he held his hand out to her to join him, but all she could do was stare like a malfunctioning robot. Thank you, try again, Marinette was not available right now.

"C'mon," he said. "Come join me."

"Huh?"

He laughed and grabbed her hands, tugging her into the shallow water. Waves splashed against her ankles in salty sprays. It probably would have been romantic had a gust of wind not snatched her hat off and smacked him in the face with it. Just a big old BAM—fabric kapow to the face! She blinked. He blinked. Then her cheeks puffed out and snorty giggles spilled from her lips.

"I can't believe you," he said, handing her hat back to her. "Here I am nursing this terrible wound to my nose and you laugh at me."

"Yeah, well, that's what you get for stealing my hat earlier."

He smiled. It was stupidly cute and her heart swooned like the weak little traitor it was. Not good, not good. At this rate, she was gonna lose her big girl boots to these waves, and even the thought that Hermit Claws the Crab might take up residence in them couldn't comfort her, because she would be exposed. Adrien would know she had a stupid, impossible-to-kill crush on him. And then she'd have to go become a nun out of sheer embarrassment, only the hills in her life would not be filled with music. They'd be filled with loneliness and shame, and she wouldn't even have a hamster, and then—

"Are you okay?" Adrien asked.

"I should have never let Mr Crankenpot's hat get melted."

Creases formed on his brow. "Huh?"

"Huh?"

"Who's Mr—"

"Oh, wow, look at the time." She stared at an imaginary watch. "We should probably head back."

"But—"

"Race you to the car!"

oOo

The Tower with Limbs was waiting for them. Marinette didn't know how he had found them, but his scowl suggested that her runaway adventure with Adrien was at an end. No amount of pleading or bribing with superhero figurines would change his mind, not even the latest Astro Chat and Cosmo Bug ones that came with remote controls and could fly. (Batteries sold separately. Buy one now and get a Rocket Pigeon for twenty percent off.)

Adrien pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I had a lot of fun," he murmured.

She was careful not to nuzzle into his chest, even though it was all she wanted to do. Just be cool, be cool. This was the home stretch. "I had fun, too."

Success! That was a very Normal Friend thing to say.

He hugged her tighter and then his lips were on her cheek, soft and lingering. "Maybe we can run away together again sometime."

She blinked. She blushed. She pulled back and stared at him with her jaw hanging low. "What?"

He threw her a cheeky wink. "See you around, Marinette."

Wait a minute. Hold the phone. That was not a Normal Friend™ kiss. Oath not to overanalyse be damned, she wanted to know what was going on!

"Um," she said, following him towards the sleek, silver car, "what do—"

The Tower with Limbs grunted and scowled some more at her. Right. Maybe she shouldn't tempt fate today. Mr Crankenpot could still be cooking up his revenge from the toybox of melted hats and woe.

"Alright," she said, raising her hands in surrender. "Message received. I'll let you both go."

Another grunt. Was that a sign of approval? Judgement? Gruntish for "By golly gee, I sure hope I remembered to put the oven on so my roast beef cooks?" Perhaps she would never know, but she would definitely make sure she got to the bottom of Adrien's cryptic comment and lingering kiss. Her heart, and her sanity, depended on it.

**Author's Note:**

> yes, i used 'lolly' instead of candy because that's what we say in my country. give me this one self-indulgence


End file.
